This invention relates to an ampule feeder for feeding, per prescriptions, injection drug ampules or vials stored randomly in a container.
Ampule feeders of this type are disclosed in unexamined Japanese patent publications 7-300237, 8-230826 and 8-225140.
The feeder or article storage device disclosed in the first publication has a head having a recessed top surface formed with grooves and retracted under the bottom of a container that accommodates ampules randomly. The head is pushed up by a cylinder rod to receive some ampules on the top surface and raise them. The ampules thus raised are attracted to a sucker and moved onto a conveyor.
The feeder of the second publication has a container in which ampules are stored randomly and having a movable partitioning plate partitioning the interior of the container into two variable-volume chambers. A pushrod having an ampule-receiving member on top is provided in each chamber. By pushing each ampule-receiving member to a level where its inclined top smoothly connects with a feed line, ampules thereon are discharged into the feed line.
The feeder or ampule dispenser of the third publication has an ampule storage container having an inclined bottom formed with a hole through which a pusher is moved up and down. By pushing up the pusher, one ampule is raised. When the pusher is raised to a level where its inclined top is aligned with a second inclined bottom plate, the ampule on the pusher rolls down onto the second bottom plate. The ampule on the second bottom plate is then pushed up by a second pusher to a new height. Ampules are thus taken out one by one safely without getting broken.
Today's ampule feeders are mostly of this type, i.e. the type which can randomly store ampules, because these feeders require no orderly arrangement of ampules.
In such a random storage arrangement, ampules are taken out, raised and dispensed before one or more than one ampule is taken out, arranged and fed. Thus, necessary ampules are dispensed not immediately upon request but only after a certain time has passed.
One way to cope with this problem would be to connect a discharge means which can store a plurality of ampules beforehand and dispense them one by one to a discharge port of the feeder so that ampules can be dispensed immediately when an ampule dispensing signal is received. Such a discharge means has to be able to operate smoothly and efficiently in association with the taking out, raising and dispensing of ampules.
In an ampule feeder that can cope with these problems, preparation for discharging ampules in as short a time as possible is needed inside. Further, in such an ampule feeder, when an ampule discharge command is produced, if the number of ampules to be discharged is greater than the number of ampules prepared for discharge, when all the ampules prepared are discharged, ampules that are short have to be resupplied and discharged. Such resupplying and discharging also have to be carried out speedily and efficiently.
An object of this invention is to provide an ampule feeder which can solve various problems by connecting discharge means for temporarily storing a predetermined number of ampules to a dispenser of the ampule feeder to instantly discharge ampules one by one in response to a discharge signal.
Another object of this invention is to provide an ampule feeder which can resupply and discharge ampules speedily and efficiently when ampules are discharged by the discharge means.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an ampule feeder which can set sensors for checking the existence of ampules stored in the discharge means by the ampule feeder so as to operate correctly without the need for mounting adjustment.